The Real Thing
by Gone South
Summary: Take a peek into the future with Charlotte and Cooper. This FanFic follows them through life. It's written in six month intervals to show us where they are in life. :D Written for your enjoyment :D
1. Chapter 1

This is my first attempt at a FanFiction. Beware before you read! This is my vesrion of what I would like to happen in season 5 and beyond.

Disclaimer-I do not own any characters. They belong to ABC/PrivatePractice.

**Scene 1**

Charlotte comes home from a long day at the hospital. "What's this?" She asks Cooper. She looks at the kitchen table. There are flowers and a fancy meal served already on the plates.

Cooper is dressed in a suit. He tells her. "I can't take the credit. Pewee's caterers get all the credit for the meal and B&B Florist arranged the flowers."

She laughs at him. "Are you going to tell me what's the occasion or do I have to wrestle it out of you?"

He laughs. "The wresting sounds like fun but I don't want to spoil our dinner so I'll tell you. "It's our six month anniversary."

Charlotte thinks. She knew that it was their sixth month anniversary when she heard the date at work. She didn't think people celebrated in six months time intervals. She feels bad she didn't get him anything. "I'm sorry. I didn't get you anything Coop."

He tells her. "It's okay. I didn't expect you to."

Charlotte freshens up and they sit down to eat.

Cooper tells her. "I love being married to you."

Charlotte smiles. "I love being married to you."

Cooper asks. "Do you have any goals for us in the near future?"

Charlotte tells him as she eats. "I would like to move to a house. I know you love this place but I want a house."

Cooper answers with a smile. "I would love to buy a house. We'll call the real estate agent in the morning."

Charlotte agrees with him.

Cooper asks. "Do you want to know my goal for us?"

"What is your goal?" Charlotte smiles. "Tell me."

Cooper answers. "I would like for us to have a baby or for you to be pregnant before our one year anniversary."

Charlotte answers. "I think I can do that."

Cooper is surprised. He thought he was going to have to argue his point. He had several arguments ready to counter the reasons she would say no. Now that she has said yes he has a loss for words. "Really?"

She smiles. "Yes really. I have been thinking about it and I know how much you need a baby."

He reaches across the table and kisses her. "Thank you."

She tells him. "I will stop taking my pill as of now."

Cooper smiles. "I'm so excited. We're going to have a baby."

Charlotte replies. "We'll not yet. You have to get me pregnant first."

Cooper laughs. "I can't wait. That's the best part."

Charlotte smiles and eats her dinner. "It is."

**End of Scene 1**


	2. Chapter 2

**Scene 2**

**Setting: Japanese Sushi Retaurant**

**Charlotte and Cooper's first wedding anniversary**

"That was good suhsi." Cooper says to Charlotte.

"Delicious." Charlotte agrees.

"I could go for some Saki. Do you want some?" Cooper asks.

Charlotte doesn't want to spoil her wedding gift yet. She agrees to the Saki but she pours it in his water glass when he's not looking. She wants him to think she drank it so she doesn't spoil her surprise for him.

"Happy Anniversary! Here's your gift." Cooper hands Charlotte a small box that contains two mini crystal figurines One is identical to him and the other to her. "I had them made for our anniversary." Cooper says.

"They are beautiful." Charlotte likes the figures.

"I have another gift for you." Cooper hands her a small box.

It's a blue crystal stone. "What's this?" Charlotte asks.

"It's a fertility stone." Cooper says. "We've been trying to get pregnant for six months. I met a woman who told me this will bring us luck. She swears by it."

"What do you do with it?" Charlotte asks.

"You rub it before you go to bed at night." Cooper tells her.

"We don't need it." Charlotte says.

"It sounds hokey but it can't hurt." Cooper says.

"You don't understand. We don't need it because I'm already pregnant." Charlotte gives him an untrasound picture.

Cooper's shocked. "How long?"

"Six weeks pregnant today. I found out last week but I wanted to wait until our anniversary to tell you."

Cooper gets up and hugs Charlotte as tight as he can.

"Easy big guy." Charlotte tells him.

"I'm so excited." Cooper tells her.

"Me too." She says back.

"Really? Are you happy about it because you were unsure before." He says.

"I'm happy and scared as a deer in the headlights at the same time." She tells him.

"You'll be the best mom ever!" Cooper picks her up and squeezes her.

"I'm counting on you to not let me screw this up." She tells him.

"I won't let you srew them up." He kisses her.

"Happy Anniversary." She tells him.

"Happy Anniversary." He tells her.

**END OF SCENE 2**


	3. Chapter 3

**Scene 3**

**Setting: November 2012.**

**Charlotte and Cooper are Married one and a half years.**

**Seven months pregnant.**

**Takes place on the living room couch.**

"Hey! That's not fair." Cooper complains.

"What?" Charlotte asks.

"Your piece of cheesescake is double the size of mine." Cooper says

Charlotte is amused. "I veto you. I'm eating for two."

Cooper steals a forkful of her cake.

"Hey! Your stealing food from your own child's mouth." Charlotte plays with him.

Cooper looks guilty and feeds her a forkful of his cheesecake.

"Better?" He asks

"Better." She smiles.

"I can't wait until little Cooper is here with us." Cooper says.

"I wonder who he'll look like?" Charlotte dreams.

"He's going to be one good looking baby if he looks like his momma." Cooper tells her.

"You're so cute when you're trying to butter me up." Charlotte smiles.

"I'm serious. You look great." Cooper tells her.

"I can feel him moving. He must like the cheesecake." Charlotte tells Cooper.

Cooper puts his hand on her basketball size belly. "I don't feel it."

"Just leave it there a few minutes. It come and goes." Charlotte tells him.

"Okay." Cooper obeys.

Cooper talks to the baby in a high pitched voice. "Hello in there little peanut. We can't wait to meet you little Cooper."

"I don't think we should call him little Cooper." Charlotte says.

"But we agreed he would be Cooper Junior a long time ago." Cooper tells her.

"I still like Cooper Junior but I want to call him C.J. instead of little Cooper. It makes him sound like his own person instead of a little you." Charlotte tells him.

"I like C.J." Cooper agrees.

"Good." Charlotte smiles.

"I feel him moving now." Cooper says.

"I told ya. You just have to wait a minute and he'll cooperate." Charlotte smiles.

Cooper rests his head on her basketball belly and waits for the baby to move again.

"Thank you." Charlotte says.

"For what?" Cooper asks.

"For loving me." Charlotte tells him.

"Always." He answers.

**End of Scene 3**

_Thank you to SunKissedGurlFF for helping me with this chapter and editing for me._


	4. Chapter 4

**Scene 4**

**Setting: May 2013**

**Charlotte and Cooper's Second year anniversary. **

**They have a four month old healthy baby boy they named CJ which is short for Cooper Junior.**

**Takes place on a beach in Aruba.**

Charlotte lies on the beach blanket next to Cooper in her bikini. "Remind me to bring something special home to Violet for watching CJ so we could do this."

"I will." Cooper tells her as he works on his tan. "I think we should do this every anniversary."

Charlotte answers. "I don't know if Violet will be keen on having to take CJ every year so we can go together."

Cooper tells her. "Violet loves CJ. She thinks he's adorable."

"He _is_ cute." Charlotte smiles.

"He's a perfect blend of the two of us with your blonde hair and smile and my blue eyes and nose." Cooper brags.

"I wonder what would happen if we had another one?" Charlotte asks.

"What do you mean - you wonder what would happen?" Cooper asks.

"I mean I wonder who would it look like? Would they look just like CJ or the opposite and have your dark hair and my eyes this time ?" Charlotte wonders.

Cooper winks. "There's only one way to find out."

Charlotte laughs.

"I didn't think you'd want another one this fast?" Cooper smiles.

"I didn't either." Charlotte admits. "But if we're gonna give CJ a sibling we should do it sooner, not later. I'm not getting any younger."

"We can start trying as soon as we get back to our hotel room." Cooper grins.

"Or," Charlotte thinks. "We could find a fun spot to do it."

"Like where?" Cooper asks.

"What about that lifeguard stand over there?"Charlotte gestures to the big white chair.

Cooper wrinkles up his brow and looks at her like she's lost her mind. "In front of everyone?"

" When everybody leaves the beach and it's quiet tonight." She grins.

"I never did it on a lifeguard stand before." Cooper chuckles.

"There's a first time for everything." She tells him.

"Okay. Tonight on the lifeguard stand we have a date to make a baby."

"Happy Anniversary." He kisses her.

"Happy Anniversary." She kisses him back.

**End of Scene 4**

_Thanks to SunKissedGurlFF for helping me with this chapter and editing it for me._


	5. Chapter 5

**Scene 5**

**Setting: Novenber 2013**

**In the playroom of Charlotte and Cooper's house.**

**Charlotte is two months pregnant with the second baby. CJ (Cooper Junior) is ten months old.**

Cooper is playing on the floor with CJ. They're playing with a toy piano. Cooper and CJ take turns pressing the keys. It rings out high pitched tones.

Charlotte hangs up the phone.

"Who was on the phone?" Cooper asks her.

"It was Landry. He's starting Christmas shopping with momma tomorrow. They want to know what to get for CJ." She tells him.

The playroom is filled with all sorts of baby and toddler toys. It's neatly oranized but the shelves are stacked.

"What did you tell them to get?" Cooper asks.

"I said to get him some books." Charlotte tells Cooper.

"Books?" Cooper scoffs. " Books are no fun. He's not even a year old yet. He can't read." Cooper tells her.

"We can read to him." Charlotte tells.

"We already do that every night." Cooper plays with CJ on the floor.

"Look around Cooper. CJ has every toy made to man already. Books are good for him." Charlotte tells Cooper.

"What should we get him for the holidays?" Cooper asks.

Charlotte shrugs. "We're already giving him the best present we can; a sibling." Charlotte says.

"His sibling isn't due for seven more months and the holidays are next month." Cooper says.

"I can't believe next Christmas we'll be a family of four." Charlotte dreams ahead.

"Who would've thought when I answered that message on my adult web site from Can you Handle Me 699 that I would be married to her with two kids a few years later?" Cooper smiles.

"I was mortified when you sat down at the bar." Charlotte tells him.

"I almost walked out when I saw it was you. I'm so glad I decided to stay." Cooper says.

"Why were you going to walk away?" Charlotte never knew this.

"Well you were so-" Cooper tries to find the right word. "-mean- back then." Cooper watches for her reaction.

"I wasn't mean. I was Chief of Staff and needed my staff to respect me and you worked under me at the hospital." She tells Cooper.

"Didn't your momma teach you that you catch more flies with honey?" Cooper smiles.

"All the time. But my daddy taught me you gotta be tough to earn respect." She tells him.

"And how'd that work out for you?" Cooper looks at her.

"I learned you need to be somewhere in the middle of honey sweet and stern dictatator." She tells him.

"What made you decide to come home with me and have a drink? At first you said no." Cooper asks.

Charlotte smiles. "You were very cute when you were trying to convince me."

"So it was my good looks and charm." Cooper teases.

"That and I saw how good you were with bat girl that day at the office. I thought that man would make a great daddy someday." Charlotte smiles.

"But you didn't want kids then?" Cooper's confused.

"Good daddy's are usually good men. I like good men." Charlotte explains.

"I'm happy you changed your mind and allowed me to be a daddy to CJ and this new baby." Cooper touches his hand on her belly.

"I wouldn't want it any other way. Thank _you_ for helping me change my mind about having a baby." She kisses CJ on the cheek.

"I knew you would be a great mom." He tells her.

"How could you know that?" She smiles at him while tickling CJ.

"Charlotte King Freedman." He says loud "I know you better than you know yourself." He laughs.

"Touche." She laughs back.

**End Of Scene 5**

_Thanks to SunKissedGurlFF for editing this chapter for me._


	6. Chapter 6

**Scene 6**

**May 2014- ****Settting- Third year wedding anniversary.**

**CJ is 16 months old**

**Charlotte is eight months pregnant with baby number 2.**

**At the park.**

Cooper pushes CJ on the toddler swing at the park while Charlotte is watching.

"I need to sit down on the bench a for a little bit Cooper. My ankes are getting all swollen standing here." Charlotte tells Cooper.

"OK. CJ has been in the swing long enough. We'll come sit with you." Cooper tells her.

"It feels so good to sit." Charlotte relaxes.

Cooper rubs her leg. "Only one more month of this Char until you pop her out and get your body back." Cooper holds CJ on his lap and feed him goldfish crackers.

"One month can't come soon enough." Charlotte eats some goldfish crackers.

"Look! There's Violet and Lucas." Cooper calls them over.

"Hi guys!" Violet says. "You look tired Charlotte."

"I am." Charlotte answers.

"Not too much longer to go now." Violet says looking at Charlotte's huge round belly. "Have you picked out a name?" asks Violet.

"Yes." Cooper replies. "Her name is Charlotte Elizabeth the second but we are going to call her Ella." Cooper says to Violet.

"That's pretty. Is Ella short for Elizabeth?" Asks Violet.

"Yes. Charlotte says. "Since we named CJ after Cooper we're naming this one after me. We're calling her Ella because it would be too confusing if we called her Charlotte." Charlotte tells Violet.

"I never knew your middle name is Elizabeth." Violet tells.

"Why would you?" Charlotte giggles. "I don't know your middle name either." Charlotte tells Violet.

"Her middle name is Rose. Violet Rose." Cooper tells Charlotte.

"Your mother must have been a florist." Charlotte jokes.

"No. She just loves flowers and flower names." Violet answers.

"Lucas is running down the hill." Cooper tells her.

"I better go after him. You two take care." Violet chases after Lucas.

"Violet likes the name we chose." Charlotte smiles at Cooper and hands more goldfish to CJ.

"Good thing your middle name is Elizabeth so we could shorten it to Ella and not something like Wilma." Cooper grins.

Charlotte laughs. "Then we would have to call her Willie."

Cooper grabs some Goldfish. "I can't wait to meet Ella."

"I keep wondering who she's going to look like." Charlotte dreams.

"I hope she looks just like her momma." Cooper says.

"You're sweet but I hope she looks just ike her daddy."

"I hope not." Cooper chuckles. "Poor thing will have a hairy chest then."

Charlotte laughs. "So are we done? We have a boy and soon a girl. Are we closing up shop after she's born?" Charlotte asks.

"Do we have to decide right now?" Cooper asks. "Can we wait a little longer and see how it goes before we close up the shop."

"We can wait." Charlotte smiles.

"Swing swing. I want swing." CJ points.

"Ok rest." Cooper tells Charlotte. "I'm going to push CJ on the swing for a little while.

Charlotte watches him and thinks maybe she'll have just one more after Ella.

**END of Scene 6**


	7. Chapter 7

**Scene 7**

**November 2014**

**Married 3 and 1/2 years.**

**CJ (Cooper Junior) is 22 months old.**

**Ella (Charlotte Elizabeth) is 5 months old.**

**Setting: Morning breakfst in the kitchen.**

"Oh no." Charlotte says.

"What?" Cooper asks. He's making cheesy eggs for CJ for breakfast.

"Ella just spit up all over her outfit. Now I have to wash her up and put a new outfit on and I'm already running late for the hospital." Charlotte wipes up the dark haired baby girl that has Cooper's blue eyes.

"Just leave her. I'll clean her up as soon as I'm done making the cheesy eggs." Cooper tells her.

"I can't leave her here sitting in a puddle of spit up. That's gross!" Charlotte complains.

"I can't just leave the eggs on the stove and change her." Cooper tells her.

"I said I'll do it!" Charlotte yells as she brings the baby upstairs to clean her up and change her.

"Eggies eggies!" CJ points to the pan.

"They'll be done in a minute CJ." Cooper stirs the eggs and sings songs with CJ to distract him while they wait. "The peanut sat on the railroad track his heart is all a flutter. The number ten comes round the bend and squash peanut butter. Cooper sings,

CJ laughs every time Cooper sings it so Cooper sings it over and over.

Charlotte comes back into the kitchen with Ella and witnesses Cooper singing and CJ laughing.

"I'm sorry." She kisses Cooper on the cheek.

"For what?" Cooper asks.

"For being so grouch to you before. I'm just stressed I have a meeting at the hospital and I don't have a minute to spare or I'll be late." She tells him.

"I know. I was thinking maybe you or I could cut down our hours." Cooper tells her. "Just temporarily since the children are so yound and require so much then when they're a little older we can return to our regular schedule."

"You want me to cut my hours?" Charlotte asks.

"Only if you want. I can see about lightening my schedule at work. Maybe taking on a nurse practitioner to help me and see some of my patients so I could be home more." Cooper explains.

Charlotte feels guilty for Cooper having to cut his hours whan she has two jobs. "Only if you want to Coop. I spose I could cut my hours too at the office." She tells him.

"Only if you want to Char. I don't want you resenting me or the kids for having to give up one of your jobs. I know you love them both." Cooper says.

"I love my family more." She says.

"Well, that's nice to hear." Cooper responds.

"We'll talk about it later when we get home from work tonight." She kisses him goodbye.

"OK." He tells her. "Can you pick the kids up from daycare this evening. I have a dentist appointment after work." Cooper tells her.

"You should have told me earlier Cooper. I have a staff meeting at five. It;s an important one and I'd rather not cancel." She tells him.

"Nevermind. I'll reschedule my appointment. No biggie." Cooper says as he puts CJ's eggs in front of him.

"I'll make it up to you tonight." Charlotte gives him an evil grin. "I promise."

Cooper smiles as she walks out the door.

"Sing peanut song daddy." CJ says.

Cooper looks at the floor by CJ where more spoonful of eggs land than in CJ's mouth. Now he has to clean that up to. He looks over at Ella and she's spitting up again on her clean outfit. "Daddy doesn't feel like singing anymore CJ.

"Please daddy?" CJ begs.

"No CJ. I have to change Ella and clean the eggs off the floor then drop you to off at daycare then go see my patients at work, then pick you two up from dadycar and make you dinner." Cooper is talking more to himself than he is to CJ anymore.

He puts ella back in the infant tub to clean off the curdled milk she spat up all over herself. "Be careful what you wish for you just might get it." He tells the screaming infant as he washes her. He loves his family but he's feeling the stress.

**END of SCENE 7**


	8. Chapter 8

**Scene 8**

**May 2015 Charlotte and Cooper's four year wedding Anniversary**

**CJ (Cooper Junior) is two and a half.**

**Ella (Charlotte Elizabeth) is 11 months old.**

**Setting: Eleven pm in Charlotte and Cooper's bedroom.**

"I finally got Ella down to sleep. She was so cranky. I think she's teething." Cooper tells Charlotte.

Charlotte is waiting in bed in a lavender and lace nightie. "Poor baby." Charlotte tells him.

Cooper gets dressed in his nightly t shirt and shorts. "I'm glad we decided to celebrate our anniversary this weekend instead. I'm exhausted between work and the kids."

"We're going out to dinner this weekend but that doesn't mean we can't_ celebrate _tonight if you know what I mean." Charlotte tells him.

"Oh." Cooper says. He knows what she means by celebrate but he's exhausted.

CJ busts in the room and jumps on the bed. "Momma I can't sleep." He tells Charlotte.

Saved by the bell. Well not a really a bell but his son. Cooper's grateful. His eyelids are heavy and he just wants to shut them now and sleep.

"It's after eleven CJ you shouldn't be up." Charlotte tells her son.

"I scared of da snake." CJ tells Charlotte.

"What snake?" Charlotte asks.

Cooper is already resting his eyes closed on his pillow but manages to tell Charlotte. "I took him to the pet store today and he saw a snake eat a mouse."

"Cooper!" Charlotte scolds. "He's too young to see something like that. No wonder he is having bad dreams about snakes tonight."

"Sorry." Cooper says. He just wants to go to sleep.

"Can I sweep wif you tonight momma?" CJ asks

"This is momma and daddy's bed. You can't sleep here. Momma will take you back to your bed. I'll stay with you until you fall asleep." Charlotte tells her son.

Charlotte says to Cooper. "Try not to fall asleep while I'm gone. We need to celebrate our anniversary still." She tells him.

"Ok." Cooper answers already half asleep.

Charlotte carries CJ back to his room and rests with him until he falls asleep. When she returns to Cooper in the master bedroom he's snoring. She thinks about waking him to celebrate but decides she'll wake him up early in the morning instead.

The next morning Charlotte wakes Cooper up with kisses to his neck one half hour early than normal. Not two minutes after he opens his eyes to look at her Ella begins screaming from her crib down the hall.

"Who's turn is it to get her?" Charlotte asks.

"I rocked her to sleep last night so it's your turn." Cooper says.

Charlotte sighs and goes to see the baby.

Cooper grabs his extra half hour of shut eye until he is woke up by CJ jumping on the bed.

"Hey little dude, knock it off before you fall." Cooper tells CJ as he opens his eyes.'

CJ doesn't listen and a few seconds later he bounces off the bed and hits his head and starts screaming. Cooper picks him up and carries him down to the kitchen to get ice.

Charlotte is in the kitchen. She has Ella in the high chair and is feeding her oatmeal and mashed bananas. They are all over Ella's face and her high chair tray. "What happened?" Charlotte asks.

"He fell off the bed and hit his head. He''ll be fine. He just needs boo boo bear." Cooper pulls an ice pack in the shape of a bear out of the freezer and holds it against CJ's head.

"We never got to celebrate our anniversay last night." Charlotte tells Cooper.

"Sorry I fell asleep." Cooper says.

"Put CJ down a minute and come upstairs with me I have a surprise for you." Charlotte tells him.

"We don't have time for that Charlotte. We have to be at work in an hour and we both need to shower and get the kids dressed." Cooper tells her.

"I don't mean that." Charlotte tells him. "I know we don't have time."

"Then what?" Cooper asks.

She pulls him up the stairs and smiles. "I think you're going to like this surprise."

"What is it?" Cooper's starting to get excited.

She pulls him by the hand to the bathroom and hands him a pregnancy test stick. He looks at it and his eyes go very big. He looks at her. "You're pregnant again?"

"Surprise!" She says. "I knew you'd be happy."

Cooper raises his eyebrows and nods. Things are about to get even more hectic in the King-Freedman household he thinks as he hugs her.


	9. Chapter 9

**Scene 9**

**November 2015: Married four and a half years**

**CJ (Cooper Junior) is almost three years old**

**Ella(Charlotte Elizabeth) Is one and a half years old.**

**Charlotte is seven months pregnant with baby # 3.**

**Setting: Charlotte and Cooper's house.**

It's seven pm and Charlotte walks in the front door of her house after a long day at work.

"How are you feeling Char?" Cooper asks.

Charlotte sits down on the couch and puts her feet up on the magazine table. "My feet hurt. It's been a long day." She stretches out on the couch.

"I made the kids dinner. I saved you a plate if your hungry."

"What is it?" Charlotte asks.

"Macaroni and cheese."

"I'll have some. Can you bring it in here. I don't think I could get up again." She tells him from the couch.

Cooper brings her the plate of macaroni and cheese and some mild to drink.

"Thank you." She smiles.

"I'm going to give the kids a bath and put them to bed then we can watch tv or talk."

"That sounds nice." Charlotte tells him as she eats her macaroni.

Cooper starts the water and puts both kids in the same tub.

Five minutes later the phone rings. Charlotte answers it. She listens to the person on the other end and sighs. "Cooper! It was the ER. Your patient, the Brady boy with the bad asthma is in the ER."

Cooper yells back to her. "I have both kids in the tub. You're going to have to watch them."

Charlotte pulls her seven month pregnant belly up from the couch and waddles on swollen ankles to the bathroom.

"Sorry Char but I'm going to have to go see him in the ER." Cooper hand her the baby shampoo.

"Duty calls." Charlotte groans.

Cooper leaves for work.

"Hi momma." CJ tells her as she shampos his hair. "Are you tired momma?"

"Yes CJ. Momma's tired." She rinses his hair.

She finishes washing two kids hair and dries them off. She puts their pajama's on and reads them a story until they fall asleep. She's exhausted and thinks somethings got to give soon! What will it be?

**END OF SCENE 9**


	10. Chapter 10

**Scene 10**

**May 2016 Charlotte and Cooper's five year anniversary**

**CJ(Cooper Junior) Three and a half years old.**

**Ella(Charlotte Elizabeth) Two years old.**

**Carter King Freedman (third child) is four months old.**

**Setting Hotel in Paris:**

**"**Wow. Now that was a great day!" Cooper says as he lies down on the bed.

"It was." Chalotte lies next to him.

"What do you want to do tomorrow since it's out last day in Paris before returning home to Bedlam?"

"You mean the kids?" Charlotte asks.

"The kids and back to work and all the stress."

"I think tomorrow we should just relax, not run around trying to get in all the sites and shows." Charlotte tells him.

"Ah relax, a word I forgot all about." Cooper jokes.

"Really Cooper. I know it's the last day in Paris and you probably want to get in all the sites we haven't got to see yet but I think we need a day to just do nothing." Charlotte advises,

Cooper rests his head on his hands "I hear ya. I could get into doing nothing with you for a day."

Charlotte smiles. "We need to get away more."

Cooper agrees. "We need more alone time. This is nice being able to lie here alone and talk without being interrupted."

Charlotte nudges him."You're the one who wanted all those kids in the first place."

He looks at her. "I know but I also like being alone and uninterrupted with you."

"Being alone and uninterrupted with you is how we ended up with all those kids." She grins.

"But we had a lot of fun doing it." He kisses her neck.

"Are you going for number four?" She teases.

"Noooo!" He rolls back onto his back.

"I'm just kidding. Come back over here." She pulls him closer.

"You do have the birth control with you? Right?" Cooper asks.

"Yes." Charlotte answers "But what happened to the guy who wanted a big family with lots of kids?"

"Life." Cooper sighs. "With the three of them we're lucky if we have time to say hi to each other let alone do this." He kisses her and runs his hand down her body.

"We'll have to make time." She kisses him back.

"We can send the kids to my parents in Ohio for the summer." Cooper suggests.

"There a little young for that. Your parents would go bonkers." Charlotte jokes.

"I suppose your right."

"Ya know what I think?" Charlotte asks.

"What?" Cooper looks at her and gives her a little kiss.

"I think these years are going to fly by. I know things are crazy at home now with them being so young but one day we're gonna miss this."

"So we should enjoy them and all the crazieness that comes with them?" Cooper understands.

"Aha." Charlotte kisses him.

"Is that why you went part time at work?" Cooper asks.

"I'll go back to work full time when they're older but we'll never get these years back." Charlotte explains.

"You've really come around. You're the best mother our kids could have."

"Happy Anniversary." Charlotte tells him before she kisses him.

"Happy Anniversary." Cooper tells her before they celebrate alone in their hotel bed in Paris, the five years and three kids that have come since they got married.

**End of Scene 10**


	11. Chapter 11

**Scene 11**

**November 2016 Married five and a half years.**

**CJ(Cooper Junior) 4 years old**

**Ella(Charlotte Elizabeth) 3years old**

**Carter King Freedman 10 months old**

**Setting Charlotte and Cooper's bedroom**

Charlotte wakes up to her phone ringing.

"What time is it?" Cooper asks yawning.

"Two am." Charlotte answers reaching for the home.

"Must be the hospital." Cooper finishes his yawn.

Charlotte looks at the phone. "No. It's Landry." Her heart sinks because Landry calling at two am can't mean anything good.

"Landry?" Charlotte answers in a fluster. Cooper listens.

"Oh. ...What happened?... Oh, that's not good. ..Uh huh... I'll be there as soon as I can pack and get a flight out." Charlotte sighs and hangs up.

"What's wrong?" Cooper asks.

"It's momma. She's in the ICU. Her liver's shut down. She's on a ventilator. I'm the doctor in the family so Landry called for my medical opinion about what to do."

"I'll go with you." Cooper gets out his lap top to start looking up flights.

"What about the kids?" Charlotte asks.

"They can come along."

"Coop, I need to focus on my momma's health. I can't be chasin' after the kids."

"I'll take care of the kids and Duke's wife seems nice enough maybe she can watch them so I can go see your mother in the ICU with you."

"Duke's wife has four kids of her own. That'll make seven kids for her to look after if we bring 'em."

"We'll work it out Charlotte. I'm not letting you do this alone and it's too short notice to arrange anything with Violet. She'll be at work most of the day so she can't watch them."

Charlotte sighs as she gets dressed. "I wish this wasn't happening."

Cooper rubs her back. "We'll get through it together." Cooper gets up and hugs Charlotte.

Charlotte leans into him and sobs. It's not something she does often but she's scared for her momma. Her and her momma haven't always been close and now she wishes she had done more to help her momma these past few years. She prays she'll have some time to do that now but from what Landry said it doesn't sound like she'll have that chance. She sobs into Coopers chest and he rubs her back. That's about all he can do for her right now.

**End of scene 11**

**_Which do you prefer? This fluffyish FanFic or my other Angsty FanFic (Waitin' For A Sunny Day)?_**


	12. Chapter 12

**Scene12 - May2017 Married 6 years**

**CJ(CooperJunior) five **

**Ella(Charlotte Elizabeth) four**

**Carter King Freedman sixteen months old.**

**Setting: Australia**

Charlotte took the passing of her momma much worse than Cooper ever expected. Charlotte and her mother never had what he would consider a close mother/daughter relationship. He knew she would grieve because no matter what she was Charlotte's mother but he was surprised to see Charlotte shrink into a depression. She went to work, took care of the kids and that was about it. She was existing but not living. The sparkle in her eyes was gone and Cooper felt sad for their three young children.

Her smile was a rare sight these days. He hardly ever saw her smile over the past six months unless one of the children did something special to warrant it. She wasn't interested in taking a vacation with him. She said she would go only if he really wanted her to. She told him to pick the destination because she didn't care. When they went out for dinner or a movie he always had to pick the restaurant and movie because she said she didn't care. She didn't care about anything since her momma died.

Cooper tried to get her to talk to Sheldon or Violet but she wouldn't open up to either one of them.

For their sixth year wedding anniversary he decided to take her away and he was going to talk to her. He was going to get to the root of what was wrong with her. His parents came from Ohio to take care of the kids for two weeks so they could go.

He decided they would go to Australia for their anniversary. They'd never been there before which was a plus and friends showed him pictures of the beautiful beaches. He decided it would be the perfect spot. He didn't tell her where they were going. He told her just to pack as she would if they were going to Hawaii where they went for their anniversary a previous year.

When they arrived at the airport, he finally told her they were headed to the Outback. He saw his first glimpse of the sparkle return to her eyes that had been missing so long.

They spent the first week taking a journey of the rainforest. He considered picking up and moving here when he saw her genuine smile and then watched her laugh at the thousands of little pengins making their nightly pilgrimage. "I've never seen anything like it." She told Cooper. "Thanks for taking me here."

Charlotte hadn't been in the mood for intimacy since her momma died but here she was different. They spent every night intimate and laughing in their hotel room. He watched her eyes go bright watching the cascading waterfalls out of their hotle room window. They had a great time snorkeling with the dolphins and looking at Koala's all day.

The second week they spent on the coast. Cooper was starting to feel nervous since there were now only two days left in Australia before returning home to LA and reality. He knew this was an escape for Charlotte. He was afraid once they returned home she would slip back into her depression. He decided he was going to get it out of her at the beach today. He had the concierge at the hotel pack them up a picnic basket complete with fried chicken and fries. Cooper brought the martini mix and glasses in a seperate cooler. Once they settled themselves on the beach he opened up the picnic basket and watched her eyes light up. "Fried chicken. You did this for me?"

"That's not all." He got out the chilled martini glasses and handed her a bottle of gin, vermouth, some olives and a bottle of champagne. "Your better at making them," he tells her as he passes her the ingredients.

She laughs "Right, but when did you ever see me put champagne in my martini's?"

"I thought these would be special martini's with champagne for our anniversary."

"Couldn't hurt to try it." Charlotte shakes up the ingredients while Cooper sets out the food. They sit on the white beach sand admiring the view of pink and grey mountain peaks against the turquoise ocean.

"I wish we could stay here forever." Cooper says as he eats his chicken.

"Me too," Charlotte agrees.

"Do you miss the kids?" Cooper asks.

Charlotte drinks her second martini, "I do, but I feel like I haven't been a good mother to them this year." Charlotte's been taking care of them the best she could but even she knows there's was an emotional distance or disconnection with them since her momma died.

Cooper thinks this is good. The martini's and the relaxing beach air are letting her talk. "Why do you say that?"

"I know since momma died things haven't been right with me." She sips her martini.

Hmm... Cooper thinks, she is aware of her behavior. "Charlotte, why don't you get into therapy to help you deal with your grief."

"They're gonna say I'm depressed and want to put me on meds or tell me that it wasn't my fault. I know the truth and nothing's going to change it."

"What do you mean you know the truth?" Cooper's curious.

"I treated my momma badly and no doctor is going to be able to make me feel better about it." Charlotte confesses to Cooper.

"You and your mother weren't close but that's because she was addicted to pills and alcohol most of your childhood, nobody can blame you for resenting her for that." Cooper comforts.

"Cooper, I was addicted to pills at one point in my life too. I blamed my mother for that. I figured she set the bar and made it easy for me to get addicted and that's what I blamed her for. I thought she was the worst example of a mother to do that to her kids. That's why _I_ didn't want to be a mother. But I was wrong about my mother. It wasn't her fault."

"What do you mean?" Cooper's not following.

"I was an adult when I got addicted. I shouldn't have blamed my problem on my mother. I understand now how she got addicted because it happened to me too. I spent most of my adult life blaming and resenting her for my problems and she's gone now. I can't tell her I forgive her or it wasn't her fault anymore. She tried to get close to me and the kids when she found out she had a bad liver but I wouldn't let her."

Cooper starts to feel a little guilty himself. Charlotte's momma had given them an open invitation to come home to Alabama anytime they wanted. She asked them to come each holiday and they always said no. They never even invited her to come see them in LA. She hardly knew her grandchildren. He feels like he should have pushed Charlotte more to take her mother up on her offer.

Charlotte continues to tell Cooper, "I should have seen it coming. She told me she had a bad liver from the pills and drinking after big daddy died. I should have known she wouldn't be around much longer and made the effort to see her and let her know her grandkids. She died thinking I blamed her and resented her and no shrink is going to be able to tell me that's not my fault. My momma made the effort to get closer to me and I turned her down and then she died." Charlotteeyes are filled with tears. She guzzles down her next martini.

Cooper tells her straight. "I'm not going to tell you that's not true. I'll tell you that you didn't know she was going to die that soon. I believe if you knew she was going to die six months ago you would have made the effort to see your mother."

"That's the whole problem. It's too late. I can't make her rise from the dead so I can apologize for being an awful daughter." She pours another maritni.

"Do you believe your mother loved you?" Cooper asks.

"Of course she did. I know she did."

"How do you think your mother would feel if she knew this was tearing you apart? How would she feel if she knew her death was keeping you from being emotionally available to her grandkids?"

"It would make her sad." Charlotte tells him.

"Work at that. You couldn't fix things with your mother when she was alive but try to make her proud now. Will you at least try to forgive yourself and allow yourself to be happy?"

"I can try. I don't know if it will work."

"Try hard." Cooper grabs her hand and they say the serenity prayer together. "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference..." They look at each other and smile before going for a swim in the turqouise sea of tranquility.

**END OF SCENE 12**


	13. Chapter 13

**Scene 13**

**November 2017 Married six and a half years.**

**CJ(CooperJunior) almost 6**

**Ella (Charlotte Elizabeth) 4**

**Carter King Freedman almost 2.**

It's a typical Saturday evening. Charlotte's exhausted. She put in a full day of work at St. Ambrose. The house is empty. She showers, puts on her pajama's and mixes herself up a martini. She puts her feet up in the living room to relax. She checks her texts. Cooper texted her while she was in the shower.

_"Took the kids to the beach. I'll pick up dinner on the way home. Bringing home another surprise."_

Charlotte has another half hour of peace and quiet before Cooper comes in the door.

"I drove twenty minutes out of town to buy you the best fried chicken around." Cooper holds up two large white paper bags with pictures of chicken on them.

"What's the occassion?" Charlotte asks.

"You'll see in a minute." Cooper makes a weird smile.

"Is this the surprise you texted about?" Charlotte takes a bag of chicken from him and opens it.

"Not quite." Cooper makes that weird smile again.

"Where are the kids?" Charlotte asks.

"They're outside. They'll be in in a minute."

"What are they all doing outside?" Charlotte looks out the window. "Cooper what's that fluffy thing in Ella's arms?"

Cooper looks out the window. He opens the door and yells out. "Ella put Scout down! I told you not to pick him up. He's just a baby! You can hurt him!" Cooper turns to Charlotte. "For a little girl she's very rough with Scout."

"You got them a puppy without asking me first?"Charlotte yells at him.

"It just happened. This lady was at the beach with some puppies in a basket. She was giving them away. Scout was the last one left and Ella started to cry. She felt sorry for him. CJ had tears in his eyes when he told me 'We can't leave him. He's lonely.' " I couldn't say no, Char."

"You could have called me."

"I did. I left a voice mail but after half hour you didn't answer and we couldn't wait any longer. The lady was leaving and by then the kids were playing with him I couldn't say no."

The kids come running in the house with Scout, a black/ brown mixed breed puppy.

"Look momma! We got a puppy! Isn't he cute? " Ella shouts.

"Puppy momma! Puppy!" Carter points at Scout.

"Do you like him momma?" CJ picks up the puppy to let Charlotte pet him.

Charlotte can't resist, she pets the puppy's soft fur. "Puppies are a lot of work CJ and momma works. If we keep him you're going to have to help feed him and walk him."

"I will momma. I will. Please can we keep him?" CJ begs.

Charlotte explains "He's going to need food and water bowls and a leash. He'lll need to be crated when we're not home so we'll have to buy that and some toys. He's going to be an expense Cooper. We'll have to take him to the Vet."

"We can afford it Char. It's not a problem. We already went to the pet store and bought him all that stuff on our way home. Help me bring the bags in CJ" Cooper says.

While Cooper and CJ go out to the car Charlotte watches Ella and Carter play with the puppy. "Don't be so rough with him. You can hurt him." Charlotte warns them as they roll around on the floor with the puppy. They can't keep their hands off him. Ella picks him up and the puppy squrims and she drops him. "See Ella, I told you."

Cooper comes in with the supplies. They watch Scout eat some puppy chow.

Charlotte announces, "okay now that Scout's finished eating. We need to feed ourselves. Put him in the crate while we eat Cooper."

Cooper oblidges and the family sits down for a fried chicken dinner while Scout watches from his crate. "Daddy said this is your favorite dinner. He said Nanna Augusta used to make this for you when you were a kid." CJ says while eating his fried chicken.

"That's true." Charlotte answers.

"I like it, momma." Ella says. "It's my favorite dinner too."

"Why don't you ever make fried chicken for us like your momma did for you?" CJ asks.

"Because I'm a working momma. My momma stayed home so she had time to cook dinners like this." Charlotte tells them.

"You were lucky." Ella says as she digs into the side dish container of macaroni and cheese.

Charlotte and Cooper look at each other before Charlotte sighs.

"Was your momma nice?" Ella asks Charlotte.

Cooper can see this conversation is getting to Charlotte so he answers for her. "Nanna Augusta was very nice."

"I remember her a little. She was nice." CJ confirms.

"You remember her?" Charlotte questions CJ with teary eyes. "The last time we saw her was for Uncle Landry's wedding and you were only four."

"I remember she danced with me. It's the first time I ever danced at a wedding." CJ tells.

Cooper chuckles. "It's the first and only wedding you ever went to."

"I know but I remember Nana Augusta dancing with me and she let me eat her piece of wedding cake because I finished mine. She was really nice. I wish she was still alive." CJ says.

Ella shouts, "me too! I wish Nana Augusta was still alive so she could make us fried chicken!" She grabs for another piece of chicken.

Cooper laughs. Charlotte gets up from the table and leaves the room.

"Where's momma going?" CJ asks.

"I don't know. Eat your dinner." Cooper gets up and follows Charlotte to the bedroom.

Charlotte's crying which is still a rare event even though she's softenend over the years. "Talk to me, Char."

Charlotte turns to him with red teary eyes. "I miss my momma."

Cooper hugs her.

"The way the kids were going on about momma made me cry. I tried to stop these damn tears but I couldn't."

"It's okay." Cooper rubs her back. He makes a joke to lighten the mood. "I thought you were crying because I brought home a dog."

She grins and swats his arm. "We can keep him. _But _I would appreciate if you included me in these decisions. You even went and picked a name without me."

"You were at work. I picked the name Scout because of your favorite book -To Kill A Mocking Bird. I thought you'd like it. We can change it. He doesn't know his name yet."

"I love the name Scout. I would've never thought of it without you." She hugs him.

"That's what I'm here for." He holds her tight until she feels better and they rejoin the kids at the dinner table.

**END OF SCENE 13**


	14. Chapter 14

**The Real Story of What will Be**

**Scene 14**

**May 2018 Charlotte and Cooper's Seventh Anniversary**

**CJ(Cooper Junior) 6 **

**Ella(Charlotte Elizabeth) Almost 5**

**Carter King Freedman 2 years old**

**Setting:****Kitchen**

Charlotte strolls in the kitchen ready for work. Cooper's flipping pancakes for the three kids.

"Happy Anniversary." He calls out to her across the room.

She sails up to him and kisses his cheek. "Happy Anniversary. Wanna meet for lunch?"

"Okay. Where?" Cooper asks.

"How 'bout somewhere real quiet and intimate?" She licks her bottom lip.

"Where would that be? Cooper wonders.

She tells him in his ear. "Let's come back here and meet in the bedroom. You bring the food. I'll take care of dessert."

Cooper laughs. "Okay, but we're still going out tonight. I already lined up Violet to babysit."

"Think you can still handle it twice in one day?" Charlotte jokes.

"Are you kidding? I've got just as much stamina as on our first date."

CJ overhears and asks "What's stamina dad?"

Charlotte and Cooper look at each other. Charlotte tells her son, "it means you can keep running without getting tired."

"Why are you running today, dad?" CJ asks.

"I'm not. We were talking about something else." Cooper answers.

"What were you talking about?"

Cooper thinks quick. "We were talking about whether I have enough stamina to stand here and flip these pancakes all day."

Charlotte chuckles. "Make sure you save some of that stamina for me."

"Why momma?" CJ asks.

"You never mind, CJ. Some things are just between me and daddy."

"Are you going to have another baby?" CJ asks.

Charlotte nearly chokes on her coffee. "No. Whatever gave you that idea?"

"When Brenden's parents were talking to each other in secret code it was about them having a new baby." CJ explains.

"Not the case here." Charlotte tells him. "The three of you are enough."

Cooper dishes out the pancakes. "Ella! Carter! The pancakes are ready!"

"Yay!" Ella runs into the kitchen and sits next to Charlotte. "You smell good, momma."

"Thank you, baby." Charlotte cuts up the kids pancakes for them.

"Is it a new perfume?" Ella asks.

"It's not new. It's my special perfume. I only wear it on special occassions." Charlotte tells her.

"Why are you wearing it today?" CJ asks.

"Because it's a special day." Cooper tells them. "It's mommy and daddy's Anniversary."

"What's anna ver sity?" Ella asks.

"It's anni-ver-sary." Charlotte corrects. "Daddy and I were married seven years ago today."

"Wow!" Ella answers. "I bet you looked like a princess at your wedding."

"She did." Cooper tells them. "Mommy was the most beautiful bride."

"I'm happy you got married seven years ago." CJ says munching on his pancake.

"Why's that?" Cooper asks pouring syrup on Carter's pancake for him.

"Because if you didn't get married then you wouldn't have had me." CJ answers as if they should have known the answer already.

"And what would we do without you?" Cooper smiles and tickles CJ.

"Tickle me daddy! Tickle me!" Ella calls out.

"Me daddy. Me!" Carter yells.

"I'm gonna get you." Charlotte grabs her youngest and tickles him earning herself squeals of delight.

Charlotte holds onto Carter tickling him and watches Cooper play with the other two. She couldn't ask for a better anniversary gift. They're still going strongafter all these years!

**END OF SCENE 14**


	15. Chapter 15

**Scene 15 **

**Novenber 2018 ****Married Seven and a half years**

**CJ(Cooper Junior) Almost 7**

**Ella(Charlotte Elizabeth 5 years old**

**Carter King Freedman Almost 3**

**Setting School Soccer Field**

Charlotte's watching CJ's soccer game at one end of the elementary school soccer fireld while Cooper watches Ella's soccer game at the other end.

Charlotte talks with CJ's best friend Branden's mother as they watch the boys play. Charlotte calls CJ over after a few minutes. She takes CJ to the side and firmly tells him. "I don't want you pickin' any more blades of grass while you're out there on the field. I want your foot on that ball." She points. "Kickin' it."

"Yes, momma" CJ sighs and walks back out to the soccer field, shoulders slumped.

Cooper sails over. "How's CJ doing?"

"See for yourself!" Charlotte gestures to CJ out on the field, spinning in circles oblivious to the game.

Cooper laughs.

"It's not funny, Cooper. It's embarrasin'." Charlotte scolds.

"He's not even seven yet, Charlotte. If he was doing that at twelve it would be embarrassing but at seven he's allowed." Cooper defends Chase.

"Big daddy would've pulled us off the team if me or my brothers did that."

"Maybe soccer just isn't CJ's sport." Cooper wraps his arm around Charlotte and they watch the game.

"How's Ella doin' in her game?" Charlotte asks.

"She's the star of her team! I came over to see if you wanted to switch and watch her play. She scored the first goal of the game."

"Atta girl!" Charlotte looks around Cooper's legs. "Where's Carter?"

"I thought he was with you?" Cooper looks at her.

"No. I told you he was following you when you were walking to Ella's field." Charlotte informs him.

"I didn't hear you." Cooper says, his eyes scanning the soccer field on high alert for his almost 3 year old.

"Shit!" Charlotte exclaims. "Where is he?"

Cooper looks at his watch. "It's been about twenty minutes then, that he's been missing."

Tears come to Charlotte's eyes hearing the word missing. Carter is now missing. It hits her like a ton of bricks. She's the mother of a missing child. Tears fall from her eyes.

"It's okay. He has short legs. He couldn't have got that far." Cooper tries to console her.

Chloe, Branden's thirteen year old sister, overhears and tells them. "I'll help you look for him."

"Thank You." Charlotte says Chloe's mother offers to keep an eye on CJ for them while they look.

"We should split up and all search in different directions" Cooper suggests.

"Call me if you find him." Charlotte tells him.

"I'll give you my cell phone number." Chloes tells them.

"You have a cell phone?" Cooper asks. "What are you ten?"

"No. I'm thirteen." Chloe defends.

"Who cares, Cooper! Let's just exchange numbers with her and find Carter." Charlotte scoffs. They program Chloe's number into their phones.

Charlotte goes around asking any parent who'll listen if they saw a little blonde boy about three years old in a blue shirt wandering around alone. Most everyone tells her no and she feels herself trembling. "I do not know where my two year old is right now." She thinks to herself over and over. "I'm a bad mother. I have no idea where my two year old is. He could be anywhere." She thinks. "We're living in LA. Someone probably snatched him and they're probably hurting him. He's probably crying for me." She's visibly trembling now. Her phone rings. It's Chloe. Charlotte's hands are trembling so much she drops the phone. She picks it up and pushes the answer button with her trembling finger.

"I found him." Chloe's voice resonates through the phone.

"Thank God!" Charlotte sighs heavily. She lets the tears of relief roll down her cheeks. She doesn't care who sees her crying. She's just relieved Chloe found Carter."Where are you?" She sniffles into the phone.

Chloe answers. "At the playground on the opposite end of the school."

"Is he okay?" Charlotte asks.

"He's fine. He was playing with some other little kids." Chloe tells her.

"Great! I'm on my way. Did you call his dad and tell him yet?" Charlotte asks.

"No. I called you first." Chloe answers. "Do you want me to call him?" Chloe asks.

"No. I'll do it. Thanks Chloe." Charlotte calls Cooper. She can tell he's just as relieved as she is when she gives him the news.

They reach the playground at the same time and they both hug and kiss Carter. After they hug Charlotte scolds the little boy. "You scared us to death. Don't you ever wander off without mommy and daddy again, Carter King!"

"Sorry, momma." Carter apologizes.

"There'll be no ice cream for you later." Charlotte scolds. It's the Freedman's normal routine to buy the kids a pop from the ice cream truck after their soccer games.

"Why momma?" Carter asks.

She grabs his hand and walks back toward the soccer field with Cooper and Chloe walking beside them. "Because you ran off. Momma and daddy had no idea where you were _and w_e missed CJ and Ella's games now."

"Sorry, momma. Can I have ice cream?" Carter begs.

"No ice cream and that's my final offer." Charlotte repeats.

As Charlotte and Cooper approach the soccer fields CJ and Ella run up to them. "You missed my game, momma. I scored four goals!" Ella shouts with excitement.

Charlotte high fives her daughter. "Good for you, baby." She turns to CJ, "how many goals did you score in your game, CJ?"

CJ looks down at the grass. "None." He says.

"It's okay." Cooper pats CJ's back. "I didn't score my first goal until I was ten. You've got plenty of time."

The ice cream man rings his bell from the parking lot. "Can we have ice cream?" The kids shout.

"Yes." Cooper says.

"Me too?" Carter asks Cooper in hopes his daddy will say yes. He knows his daddy is a softy.

Cooper looks at Charlotte. "No!" Charlotte scowls at Cooper. "He needs to learn his lesson."

Cooper gives her a disapproving look and takes his other two children to the ice cream truck.

Carter cries a river.

"I'm not changin' my mind just cuz you're cryin'." Charlotte takes Carter to the car so he doesn't have to watch the other children eat their ice cream.

"Please, momma!" Carter wails out loud.

Charlotte sticks to her guns. "No. Sometimes life's hard. You might as well learn it now." Charlotte continues to walk to the car with Carter. She can see Cooper watching them from the distance. She knows he disagrees with her parenting style. He's a softy for the kids tears. Should be an interesting afternoon in the Freedman home later, she thinks.

**End Of Scene 15**


	16. Chapter 16

**Scene 16**

**May 2019 Married 8 years**

**CJ(Cooper Junior) 7 years old**

**Ella (Charlotte Elizabeth) almost 6**

**Carter King Freedman 3 years old.**

**Setting Living room.**

Cooper wakes up at 3 am and finds Charlotte's side of the bed empty. The sheets are cold. He pads his way into the living room and finds her laying on the couch eyes closed with her book on top of her chest. He covers her with a blanket. Her eyes open. "I'm not sleeping."

"Oh," He picks up her legs and sits down on the couch, placing her legs back on top of him. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really." She sits up next to him.

"We could watch a movie." Cooper suggests.

"Coop, why don't you go back to bed?"

"I can't sleep, either." Cooper scrolls down the list of movies with the remote. "What do you want to watch?"

"Anything."

"We could always move." Cooper throws the option out there.

"_HE_ should move." Charlotte says with venom in her voice. "We're doctor's. We both have established careers. We can't just pick up and move. He's just got out of jail. He should be the one to move!"

Cooper agrees. "If he had a shred of decency in him, he would move away."

"Don't count on that. He _doesn't_ have a shred of decency in him." Charlotte says again with venom and anger.

"If you really want to move we can try...-"

"I _don't_ want to move, Cooper. St. Ambrose is my life, well, besides you and the kids. St. Ambrose is _my _hospital. I've been running it for years and I'm not giving it up because of _him."_

Cooper agrees. "I know how much you love being the boss. I'd never want you to give that up." Charlotte finally smiles and gives him a playful slap on the elbow.

Charlotte answers. "Besides, you've had your practice here for 15 years, you couldn't just up and leave and start a new one somewhere else."

Cooper sighs, "I wouldn't even want to. If anything, I'd retire before starting up a new practice."

"You'd miss your patients in LA just as much as I'd miss St. Ambrose." Charlotte sighs.

"So what do we do? How do we co-exist in the same city as that horrible man?" Cooper asks.

"I don't know." Charlotte grabs Cooper's hand.

"Look at us. We're not sleeping. We're constantly looking over our shoulders." Cooper tells her.

"He won't come after me again. _I_ scared _him_ when he was in the hospital, before he was arrested." Charlotte tells Cooper.

Cooper puts his hand on her knee. "_I_ don't trust him and I don't want us to live looking over our shoulders, that's why I suggested moving out of here."

Charlotte says firmly, "we're not moving, not an option. He ruined my life enough, already, that night. He's not taking my career away from me too."

"I agree with you, Charlotte, but how long can we live like this? He's only been free one week and neither one of us has been sleeping."

"We don't have a choice." Charlotte leans her head on Cooper's shoulder and they watch the movie. "It'll get easier, Coop," she hopes.

**END OF SCENE 16**


End file.
